This week, The Green Connection and small-scale fishers from South Africa are in Paris France to support French NGOs and climate change victims as they file a criminal complaint against TotalEnergies’ board of directors and shareholders “for their contribution to climate change and its fatal impact on human and non-human lives.” With just a few days to TotalEnergies’ Annual General Meeting, the organisations hope that this legal action could “set a precedent in the history of climate litigation as it opens the way to holding fossil fuel producers and shareholders responsible, before criminal courts, for the chaos caused by climate change.”
The Green Connection’s Advocacy Officer, Lisa Makaula says, “We are here in Paris to call on TotalEnergies to move away from fossil fuels, now. The company has many project proposals in various stages in South Africa, even though climate reports emphasize that there is no need for any new investments in oil and gas as there already is enough available and in the process of being dug up. According to an International Energy Agency report, starting new projects now, will only lead to stranded assets, in the near future. This is why we are here, in Paris France, to call onto this company to stop these projects that could possibly lead to environmental degradation and come at the cost of people’s livelihoods. We call on them to immediately shift their money into projects that are exclusively focus on sustainable development and going to build the economy.”
The Green Connection’s Strategic Lead, Liz McDaid says, “The Green Connection is very proud to stand in solidarity with our fellow activists on the StopEACOP case, here in France, to support the French NGO Bloom, today, as they launch their compliant today against TotalEnergies. It is clear that oil companies are contributing to climate change and these court cases seem to be the only way that they can be held accountable. As activists, if we want a future planet that we can live in and livelihoods for those who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, then it is our responsibility to stand up and call out those polluters who fail to take action to stop the climate crisis.
Small-Scale Fisher and member of UBUNTU Rural Women’s Assembly, Darlin McQuin says, “Many of our people’s livelihood come from the sea. The sea is what we know. I am in France to voice out the concerns of the small-scale fishers in my community, to advocate to stop TotalEnergies. We do not want oil and gas exploration in South Africa. We don’t want TotalEnergies in South Africa.
Small-Scale Fisher from Port St Johns, Sifiso Ntsunguzi says, “We are in Paris to support court case against TotalEnergies oil and gas projects. As a small-scale fisher and member of a coastal community, I do not support the exploration of oil and gas in the ocean. We use the ocean for cultural practices and a means to sustain our livelihood. We are against exploration of gas and oil, as it may risk degradation of environment & marine ecosystem, our livelihood and our health. I came from a fishing community and have become a fisher myself.”
Take action and support the case against TotalEnergies.
BENDING OVER BACKWARDS, DMRE GIVES KARPOWERSHIPS ANOTHER BREAK
30 September 2021 was supposed to be the commercial close – a date set by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) – for bidders in the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (RMI4P).
TOSACO EIA MET WITH PUSHBACK FROM CIVIL SOCIETY, TO PROTECT THE OCEAN AND SMALL-SCALE FISHER LIVELIHOODS
This week, The Green Connection submitted its comments critiquing several aspects of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, particularly the lack of procedural fairness, as well as the conclusions reached – notwithstanding information gaps and scientific uncertainty – that should form part Tosaco Energy’s request to undertake various activities in Block 1, off the West Coast.
RECENTLY GRADUATED GREEN CONNECTORS, EQUIPPED FOR THE POLLS AND READY TO WEIGH-IN ON COP26
Following their recent graduation from The Green Connection’s Legacy Champions Programme, these newly empowered Green Connectors say they feel equipped with the necessary advocacy skills to make positive changes in their communities, starting with their vote in the local elections (1 November) and weighing in on the discussions around COP26 (which starts on 31 October) – as part of their efforts to oppose oil and gas developments in the country and offshore.
GREEN CONNECTION’S ‘FUNERAL FOR THE CLIMATE’ (AFRICAN ENERGY WEEK) AND COMMENT ON YESTERDAY’S BUDGET SPEECH
This week (10 November 2021), we joined other environmental defenders in Cape Town to peacefully demonstrate outside the African Energy Week #AEW2021 conference venue demanding an end to fossil fuels and the immediate pivot toward the just transition to a renewable energy future.
CLOSE TO 200 PEOPLE RISE AT CRACK OF DAWN TO PROTEST THE ARRIVAL OF SHELL’S SEISMIC MONSTER, AMAZON WARRIOR
On Sunday morning, (21 November 2021), before the crack of dawn, nearly 200 concerned environmental defenders took to the Waterfront to get a glimpse of Shell’s seismic testing vessel, Amazon Warrior, as it made its way into Cape Town harbour. The vessel travelled down the West coast of Africa, on its way to the Wild Coast, to conduct seismic surveys for an estimated five (5) months.
ENVIRONMENTALISTS DOUBLE-UP ON EFFORTS TO OPPOSE UPCOMING AND FURTHER SEISMIC TESTING IN SOUTH AFRICA’S OCEANS
As the groundswell of opposition against Shell’s upcoming 3D seismic survey off the Transkei builds, the Green Connection – an ecojustice NGO that supports small-scale fishers in advocating for their livelihoods – reacted with astonishment to a press statement issued by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) on 9 December 2021.